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The Rockets and Blazers, of course, have more pressing goals than to enjoy themselves.

But with the return to Moda Center for tonight’s Game 6, where another particularly impassioned crowd is certain, there was something enjoyable about reaching this point in a series. If nothing else, it is wiser to enjoy the challenge than fret about it.

“It’s definitely fun,” guard Jeremy Lin said. “I think we’re all enjoying the experience, not to say we enjoyed every part of the experience. But being in the playoffs, to be Game 6 in a hostile environment, that’s exciting. That’s basketball.

“We’re all expecting the most physical, the most desperate, the most urgent, the hardest game all the way around.”

As he has throughout the series, Rockets center Dwight Howard said the Rockets have to put aside thoughts about what is at stake and focus at the task at hand itself.

“We just have to go and play basketball,” Howard said. “There is no need to put any extra pressure on yourself. Just go out there and handle business.

“We have to win this game. We can’t focus on a Game 7. We have to come out and hit them first.”

Still, there was no escaping that the Rockets have no fall-back position. As much as the Rockets said they can’t focus on that, they need no reminding.

“We’re playing with our season on the line,” Parsons said. “It’s going to be a great environment, a great crowd. It’s the sixth time we played these guys in a week pretty much. We’re sick of playing them. They’re tired of us. It’s going to be competitive. There’s going to be a lot of energy in here. By now, the scouting report, all the film, that’s out the door. You just got to go out there and execute. You know what they’re going to run. You know what their players do. You just want to go out there tonight and perform.

“It’s the playoffs. We were in an elimination game. We didn’t want to go home. We still don’t want to go home. We feel like we’re a better team and deserve to move on. We have to go out there and prove it.”